


Fallen Angel

by Bl4ckHunter



Series: The Dar(h)k War Saga [28]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Batman (Comics)
Genre: Conspiracy, Mystery, Other, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-05-28 12:52:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19394545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter
Summary: Sequel to WATCHER IN THE WINGS. With Azrael returning, Batman discovers a dangerous conspiracy as he and his allies investigate deep secrets of Gotham City.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Order of Saint Dumas returns as Henry considers, whether to return back to his old work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note and Disclaimer:
> 
> A story I've planned for a while now and wanted to at least get it started and it is part of The Darhk War saga. It is a sequel to Watcher in the Wings and it takes place two years after the mentioned story and Tommy has already returned, as seen in League of Shadows and it's going to be among the shorter stories in the series.
> 
> Some Gotham and Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Knight Easter eggs and references are going to be here, for the fans of the show or video games.
> 
> I do not own DC Comics, Batman comic books or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.
> 
> Hope you have fun
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter

A group of men in hoods were in underground in a round room, chanting as on the floor was a symbol of a templar cross in a circle.

"The prophecy is nearing. Dark days are coming upon Gotham and fires shall rage." One of the men said as he stepped up. "The Gotham branch has grown complacent and decadent. The League of Assassins and the Dark Knight intervened before our champion could restore the Angel's glory. Gotham shall be redeemed in blood."

"Batman cannot defend Gotham forever. We have studied him for a long time." Another man said.

"What happened with our previous champion?"

"He has been disposed of by someone from the League of Assassins two years ago."

Michael Lane, detective of GCPD then entered, kneeling as he was in the center of the room. "What is thy bidding?"

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

A woman in her mid-30s paced down her manor, sighing as she sat down, staring at the fireplace in front of her. But then, she saw a shadow of a hooded figure near upon her as she turned around and screamed in horror.

* * *

_**GCPD** _

Batman landed on the rooftop as Commissioner Gordon summoned him via Bat-Signal.

"What is it, Jim?" Batman asked.

"Looks like that Azrael nutbar is back. Three people are dead, that we know of." Gordon said as he showed Batman a folder that Batman examined as he saw the photos of the dead woman. "I know what you're thinking, I checked the morgue and the body of the previous guy, the cape, armor and sword were still there. DNA and fingerprints, we couldn't match those with any database."

"Because he was genetically modified." Batman explained.

"You mean they grew this guy in a test tube?" Gordon realized. "My God… Look, Batman, if this Azrael is back, you know what it means. And we need to look thoroughly into it and make sure that…"

"Don't worry, Jim, I'll keep an eye on him." Batman promised.

* * *

_**Henry's house** _

As the sunlight shined in through the window, Henry woke up, with Sara sleeping on his chest as he stroked her hair before kissing her on her forehead as they smiled as the alarm clock rang before she opened her eyes, smiling weakly.

"Hey."

"Hi."

They kissed for a moment.

"I guess another day has come." Sara said, giggling.

"OK, just give me a minute, I'll prepare the table, OK?" Henry got up and put on his shirt and pants and went out from the bedroom and into the kitchen, preparing breakfast as he was making scrambled eggs on a frypan, while Sara put on a bathrobe, walking towards the bathroom.

He was preparing the plates as he heard the doorbell and opened the door and smiled politely at seeing the familiar face. "Renee."

"Hey, Henry." Detective Renee Montoya said.

"Is everything OK?" Henry asked.

"You won't mind if I-"

"Sure, sure." Henry let Montoya in.

"Thanks." Montoya smiled as she entered.

"I'm making breakfast now, would you like-"

"No, thanks, just coffee will do, I'm not sticking around for long anyway." Montoya said as Henry poured her a mug of coffee. "Thanks." Montoya smiled as she drank from it.

"I'm guessing this is not a friendly visit, is it?" Henry asked, knowing something was off as they sat down.

"I wish it was." Montoya said as she showed him the folder that Henry opened and his blood ran cold. "Three murders in the past two weeks, that we've been able to find out about. If I were to judge from the M.O., I'd guess it's a ritualistic serial killer. The cut pattern suggests as much. And I think you'll find the murder weapon familiar. The forensics suggests that it's the same one from two years ago."

Henry shivered, hoping his and Montoya's suspicions were wrong. "Who were they?"

"The usual higher-class folks like the Waynes and Queens or…"

"Tabitha Galavan." Henry whispered, recognizing one of the victims, since he himself had visited her, when investigating Azrael and the Order of Saint Dumas two years ago. "You think that…"

"It has something to do with this Order of Saint Dumas you and Batman told us about." Montoya nodded and Henry realized what did she want as he sighed.

"Renee, I don't do that anymore, you know that." Henry said. "I'm really trying to turn over a new leaf and you of all people should know why you shouldn't be asking me to…"

"I'm not hiring you, nor do I want you to get involved." Montoya assured him. "But honestly… I'm worried Batman might not be enough and we could use all the help we could get. I'm not asking you to break in or steal something or anything like that. I just think that we should use all the help we could get. If you can take a look at something that we might overlook, then I'd appreciate-"

"I see." Henry nodded, knowing where she was going with it as she sighed.

"Look, if you don't want to get involved, I'll understand. But I'd appreciate if you could help and least give us your input." Montoya asked with pleading eyes as Henry considered, while going over the file.

"You won't mind if I keep this? I'll take a look and see what other angles we can use. But that's it." Henry said.

"I'm not asking for anything else beyond that. I don't want you to get into trouble again, either." Montoya nodded as she left.

Sara had finished her shower as she tied the bathrobe and wrapped the towel around her head as she entered the kitchen before she heard the door close.

"Who was that?" Sara asked.

"Detective Montoya." Henry said as he looked over the file, while Sara tensed.

"What did she want?" Sara asked, worried.

"We're not in trouble right now but we might be." Henry said as he showed Sara the file and she shivered.

"Azrael. I thought he was dead." Sara said.

"The guy who wore that suit two years ago, is dead. This is someone new. I'm guessing he works for the Order of Saint Dumas too." Henry said. "Bruce said he'd look into the order and that I should let it slide. It's been two years. I don't know… I think we should pay him a visit."

"Do you want to? Look into it, I mean." Sara asked, seeing that Henry was… hesitant, lost in his own thoughts.

"Honestly… I'm not sure what to do." Henry sighed. "Renee said that she might need me to dig around. Last time this freak showed up, some good people died and…" He sighed. "I've tried to move on from it and keep those doors closed and if I open them again…" Sara nodded in understanding. "Mercy used to tell me, ' _Some things you can't walk away from._ ' That's what I've been living by for years. And I'm worried that if I walk down this road… I'm gonna go down this road I've been trying so hard _not_ to go down anymore."

"Maybe you don't have to go down that path." Sara pointed out, holding his hand. "It doesn't always have to be you, you know that. Besides, Ollie, Bruce, Dick and everyone else can-"

"I know." Henry said as he held the folder in his hand. "It's just… I don't know what to do with this."

"Then let Bruce handle it." Sara said.

"I can't ignore this either." Henry pointed out.

"No one says you'll have to." Sara argued. "But just for once, stop being a hero and let it go."

Henry laughed. "Now you sound exactly like Nicky and Barbara. OK, I think that I'll call Bruce at the very least."

Sara nodded and smiled.

* * *

_**GCPD** _

"Alright, what do we have on Tabitha Galavan? Did she have any enemies?" Gordon asked as they examined the photos.

"No one, who seems to have strong motive to kill her in that fashion." Bullock said.

"We'll find who's behind this." Detective Jim Corrigan assured Gordon.

"Damn bet we will." Officer Aaron Cash nodded.

Detective Michael Lane entered, acting casually. "Whoever does that, believes he's doing the work of God."

"Well, he's wrong about that." Gordon said and Michael shivered, wondering if he was doing the right thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think? Is it good? Is it bad? Should I continue?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


	2. Azrael returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman and his allies investigate Azrael as Michael Lane, the current Azrael, questions his path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or Batman comics or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

_**Wayne Manor** _

"Bruce, do you know anything about this?" Henry asked as he showed Bruce the file.

"The Order of Saint Dumas." Bruce said as he examined the pictures.

"Bruce, if you don't want me involved, I'll understand but at least tell me what's going on." Henry said.

Bruce sighed. "You're right. After what happened with Azrael two years ago, you deserve that much."

Bruce opened the hidden door as Henry and Sara followed him into the Batcave as Bruce turned on the computer.

"As you may know, the Order of Saint Dumas was founded in the 12th century by Lord Adam Dumas as a splinter faction of the Knights Templar during the crusades." Bruce summed up. "All the records I've been able to dig up were scarce and not much is known about them. However, apparently, Theo Galavan and Edward Ruskin were members of the order."

"Any idea why did Azrael kill the Gotham faction two years ago, asides from wanting to get the Suit of Sorrows?" Sara asked.

"There is a prophecy that they were supposed to follow. Gotham burning in ashes, the protector falling and replaced by a new protector." Bruce explained.

"So, what, they thought Azrael was your successor?" Henry realize, where was Bruce going with this.

"More like wanted to _force_ him to become my successor." Bruce said as they realized where was he going with this. "I examined the data from the chip in Azrael's brain two years ago." He turned on the recording.

" _Azrael, protector of faith, defender of purity. The Order of Saint Dumas has safeguarded Gotham for over 500 years and it is your sworn duty to continue our legacy._ _The Dark Knight shall be eliminated. For years, we studied him and he must be removed. The city needs to be guarded with relentless wrath of the God, not misguided crusader. And every member of the Order, who has succumbed to decadence and apathy of Gotham, must be eliminated._ "

Henry and Sara shivered.

"They may be as fanatic as the League." Henry muttered.

"Maybe even worse." Sara pointed out. "I thought they were all dead. Azrael killed them all."

"The Gotham branch has been wiped out." Bruce corrected. "Who knows how big the Order actually is. I've been trying to investigate them but they're like ghosts."

"Why show themselves now? It's been two years." Henry wondered.

Bruce showed them a book that Henry opened. "There's a prophecy. About dark days coming and that the protector of Gotham shall attempt to stop the gates of Hell from opening but in doing so, events shall occur, with flames raging and Gotham becomes nothing but ruins and ashes. Azrael told me he wanted to prevent it and that the members of the order that he had killed, were in his way, wanting to prevent the prophecy."

"Why would they-"

"Because they were getting in his way." Bruce explained, interrupting Henry. "If you remember Galavan's journal, many rich men were members of the order and they wanted to keep control of Gotham and they did not want Azrael to ruin everything they had built."

"So, one group of fanatics wanted to consolidate their power, while another member of the group wanted to take that power away from them." Sara said. "And here I thought the League's ways were messed up."

"What is Azrael planning now? And who is it now?" Henry wondered.

"I don't know. But we'll get to the bottom of it." Bruce promised.

* * *

_**GCPD** _

Michael was "working" on Azrael's recent murders as his phone rang and he answered the call. "Yes?"

" _Protector of faith, you know what must be done._ "

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

A man around 20 years old was entering his apartment, when suddenly, a man in cape, a hood and with a templar cross symbol on his chest, appeared from the shadows, covering the man's mouth and nose as the man passed out.

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

Men wearing hoods pulled the bag out of the man as he was on his knees and restrained.

"What the hell is going on?"

"The day of reckoning is coming. The blood of the founders shall cleanse Gotham of sin." The leading man in the hood pulled out a knife.

"No, no, please, no-"

The leader slit the man's throat as his blood poured down onto what seemed to be a rock fountain.

* * *

_**Batcave** _

"Are you OK?" Sara asked as Henry was researching the victims.

"I'm trying to find out the connection between these people. Galavans, St. Clouds, Trasks… Asides from being rich folks, there's not…" Henry paused as he looked deeper. "Wait a minute."

"What?" Sara asked.

"I think I know the connection between them." Henry said as he typed in some commands. "Two hundred years ago, Gotham City strived and six families ruled over the high society.

The Galavans, which are now dead. The Waynes obviously, the Dumases and the Kanes and the Crownes. I know Bruce has a cousin and one Kane is in the military and then... the Elliots. But we know what happened to the last one."

"You mean Thomas Elliot? The Identity Killer?" Sara asked.

"The Hush." Henry nodded. "I've read about him. He surgically reconstructed Bruce's face and attempted to steal millions from Wayne Enterprises. He's serving life sentence in Blackgate prison nowadays." He pulled out the picture of a man, who looked like Bruce but his facial scars made it look like a jigsaw puzzle.

"What the hell…" Sara whispered.

"The Identity Killer targeted specific people, cutting their faces off surgically and from the pieces trying to reconstruct another face, like Bruce's. Batman was lucky he caught that bastard." Henry summed up.

"I've read the news but I never thought he'd look so ugly." Sara said.

"No kidding." Henry nodded. "Able Trask had changed his name from Able Crowne. But he wasn't a saint, if I were to judge from his records."

"So, you think Azrael is out for revenge?" Sara asked.

"Where did Bruce leave that journal?" Henry asked as he looked around the Batcave until he found it and opened it.

"The last Azrael was unstable, grown from a test tube. The Order was afraid of him. Centuries ago, the Dumases tried to consolidate more power and rule the city but the Galavans, despite being their allies, were not so happy." Henry read. "Azrael, the champion of the Order of Saint Dumas, fought for the family but they were beaten and wiped out and sent deep underground. They claimed that they wanted to rule the city but it needed to be redeemed by blood of the people who had betrayed them."

"So, that's why Azrael killed those people." Sara realized.

"The Order of Saint Dumas had scattered across the globe." Henry read. "The Gotham branch apparently was done trying to get their hands dirty and instead they decided to rule from the shadows."

"Which cannot have pleased that freak." Sara summed up.

"If he had gotten his hands on the Suit of Sorrows, he'd become dangerous." Henry turned to the armor in a case behind them. "Good thing Azrael cannot get here, whoever he is. I'll take a look in the library, see if there's anything else we can look at."

Henry went upstairs heading to the library but suddenly, the corridor vanished in the shadows and Henry watched in surprise as he suddenly appeared in a small apartment that was very familiar to him.

_"I hate this." Gordon said._

"Jim?" Henry said, not understanding but Gordon did not react as Henry realized it was a hallucination.

_"Whenever we jail him, I think "Please God, keep him there."" Gordon said, sitting on chair and cutting out a news article with Batman._

_"Dad, just once could you leave your work at the office and relax? I made you cocoa." Barbara said, bringing a tray with two mugs._

_"Thank you, sweetheart. I'll drink it, when I've pasted this latest clipping in." Gordon removed the news clipping from the papers and glued it onto his scrapbook._

_"You know, I found that Catwoman scrapbook you said was missing. It was behind the wardrobe." Barbara said as she put the tray down. "Some day you ought to let me work out a proper filing system, like we used at the library."_

_"Hmmm." Gordon considered._

_Barbara looked closely at the scrapbook as she frowned. "Urrgh. Look, you used too much paste! It's all squidging under the edges of the clipping. You're going to get it in your pants…"_

_"Barbara, you're fussier than your mother wa-" Gordon stopped when they heard the door knock. "Was that the door?"_

"Oh, no, not that, no…" Henry paled, realizing what it was. "Don't open the door, Babs. Please."

_"Yeah, it'll be Colleen from across the street. Tonight's our yoga class." Barbara approached the door. "C'mon, Dad… company! Put your scrapbooks away."_

_"Hey, look at this one. First time they met. Now what year was that?" Gordon mused, as he found an old article, where Batman arrested Two-Face the first time._

_"Well, I remember you describing the white face and green hair to me, when I was a kid. Scared the hell out of me." Barbara giggled as she opened the door._

_"I thought you'd be interested-"_

_"Yeah, well, I had some interesting nightmares-" Barbara stopped when she faced the Joker, wearing a purple hat, around his neck a camera and holding a revolver. Barbara did not have time to react, when Joker shot her in the lower abdomen as she slumped back, crashing against the table and groaning in pain as she held her wound._

"No!" Henry exclaimed.

_"Barb…?" Gordon whispered, horrified by what just happened._

_"Please, don't worry." The Joker said. "It's a psychological complaint, common amongst ex-librarians. You see, she thinks she's a coffee table edition… mind you, I can't say much for the volume's condition. I mean, there's a hole in the jacket and the spine appears to be damaged." The Joker smirked as he poured himself a glass of booze._

"You sick son of a bitch…" Henry growled, glaring at the Joker hatefully, lunging at him but he fell right through him before he realized that it was all in his mind as all he could do was stare in despair at seeing his best friend relive one of the worst and most traumatic moments of her life.

_"You, you scum, my daughter, I'll… ugh…" Gordon was punched in the stomach and the face by one of the Joker's henchmen as Gordon fell down._

"Jim…" Henry whispered, not believing what he was seeing.

_"Frankly, she won't be walking off the shelves in that state of repair. In fact, the idea of her walking anywhere seems increasingly remote. But then, that's always a problem with softbacks." The Joker took a sip as he smirked. "God, these literary discussions are so dry. When you've finished with the old boy, you know where to take him. And please… do be careful! After all, he is topping the bill." The Joker approached Barbara with his camera._

"No, not that. Please, no…" Henry begged, not wanting to see it and begging to wake up from this hallucination.

_"You know, it's such a shame you'll miss your father's debut, Miss Gordon." The Joker giggled. "Sadly, our venue wasn't built with the disabled in mind. But don't worry… I'll take some snapshots to remind him of you." The Joker touched Barbara's shirt, removing it as Barbara was helpless to do anything._

_"Wuh… why… why are you… duh… doing this?" Barbara murmured weakly._

_"To prove a point. Here's to crime." The Joker toasted as he started to remove her clothes._

"You bastard. You as much as lay a finger on her, I'm gonna kill you!" Henry snarled, glaring at the Joker hatefully for hurting Barbara like that as he lunged at the Joker and fell down, falling through the psychopath. Henry got up and returned back to the manor as he panted out in horror and confusion.

"Henry. Henry." Barbara held his shoulder as he turned to her and was surprised to see her alright for a moment before sighing. "Is everything OK?"

Henry took a breath before nodding. "Yeah. I'm fine, Babs. Really."

Barbara narrowed her eyes. "You sure?"

"Don't worry about me." Henry said but Barbara wasn't convinced.

"Don't brush me off. Talk to me."

"It's nothing, it's just… bad memories, that's all." Henry said.

"Henry…" Barbara sighed. "Honestly, I'm really worried about you. You shouldn't keep it bottled up."

"Barbara… I honestly don't know what's going on or how am I supposed to deal with it." Henry admitted.

Barbara nodded, understanding. "What were you doing here anyway?"

"Doing a research on the Order of Saint Dumas, see what we can find out." Henry explained as Barbara nodded as they approached the bookshelves.

"OK, let's go take a look, if you're sure."

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

A man was on his knees, with bruised and bloodied face as Azrael neared him.

"Jimmy the Bat. Not the Bat ** _man_** , the **_Bat_** -man." Azrael said mockingly.

"Look, you're making a mistake…" Jimmy said, frightened.

"No, no, no, Johnny Stitches will be very scared of me. And you are my message, Jimmy." Azrael told him and Jimmy paled. "God's justice has arrived to Gotham City."

"No, wait, wait, I'm a cop! Undercover cop! Don't you get it? I've been undercover in Stitches' crew for six months!" Jimmy explained quickly.

"Is that so?" Azrael sneered.

"I don't carry my shield but I can tell you who to call…"

"And ask them what?" Azrael asked, nearing his sword to Jimmy's throat as Jimmy trembled, sweating and panting out. "How many people have you beaten up in the name of your-"

"Listen, you got the wrong idea, I was undercover, please, you need to understand, they were punks and I was just-"

"Your actions were in service to greater justice, is that correct?" Azrael asked and Jimmy nodded frantically.

"There is only one true justice! The Lord's!" Azrael shouted as he swung his sword and Jimmy's head rolled down on the floor, blood spraying from his neck as it toppled down.

* * *

Gordon, Bullock, Montoya and Michael were setting up a crime scene as CSIs and detectives came to investigate.

"Blood splatter's the same like the previous ones…" Gordon noted.

"What's the point of canvassing, Jim, it's nothing but empty warehouses around here anyway." Bullock said.

"Jim?" Montoya pointed to the message on the wall written in blood.

" _Necessary sin that needed to be cleansed._ " Gordon read.

"I think this freak might be more dangerous than the previous one." Montoya said. "Has anyone seen Michael?"

* * *

Michael Lane entered the confessional as he sat down, doing a gesture of a cross on his chest. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been two weeks and six days since my last confession."

"What sins do you have to confess?" The priest inquired.

"I… am questioning whether I am doing the will of God, Father. I am a policeman and a devoted man… but the people I work with… I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing." Michael admitted. "Gotham is putrid and it needs cleansing… but I wonder whether I am doing the right thing."

"There are many ways to do God's bidding. May I ask for who exactly are you doing the God's work?" The priest asked.

"I… I cannot say, Father." Michael said reluctantly.

"My son, people with secrets may have pure intentions but the way they work… their methods can be questionable. You would be wrong _not_ to question their methods. But you need to ask yourself what does your heart tell you."

"My heart…" Michael said hesitantly. "Says that there may be other ways to pursue justice but I am not sure whether I can follow."

"You need to look deep inside and follow your heart. That is all I can give you." The priest advised as Michael nodded.

"Thank you, Father. May the God watch over you."

"May He watch over you as well, my son."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the reference to The Killing Joke.
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	3. Questioning beliefs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman faces Azrael and attempts to reason with him as Henry again struggles with his inner demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or Batman comics or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

"So, an angelic assassin with a 'flaming sword', looking a little like the Batman." Batman said. "I'm not sure whether to be flattered or disturbed."

"I think the latter is more likely." Gordon explained.

"He's a little more subtler than the last one." Batman said, looking at the cuts on the corpses as the CSI were examining the crime scene. "It might be someone else wearing the suit."

"The question is, who?" Gordon wondered before his phone rang. "Yes? Oh, you have to be kidding me."

"What is it, Jim?" Batman asked.

* * *

_**Later, Gotham City** _

Batman glided across the rooftops of Gotham until he landed where was a flaming Bat symbol and Azrael was on his knees.

"I trust you have not forgotten me, Batman." Azrael said.

"You're not the same one I met two years ago." Batman noted.

"Azrael has chosen me as his new vessel. I am the new messenger of the Order." Azrael said.

"They're just using you." Batman tried to reason with him.

"No. They want what you do. Only you don't see it yet. Soon enough, hell shall break loose in Gotham and you will not be able to stop it. This city will require a new savior. A new guardian. A new Batman." Azrael said.

"You've killed three people." Batman pointed out. "I do not kill."

"They were far from innocent and they have escaped justice before." Azrael argued.

"Tabitha Galavan had nothing to do with her brother's association with the order and their complacency." Batman said and Azrael looked remorseful.

"Unfortunate. Yes. You may find it hard to believe but it was not my intention to kill her." Azrael said.

"If your intentions are sincere, let me do my job and stop this." Batman pleaded.

"You cannot carry this burden forever, Mr. Wayne." Azrael said, much to Batman's surprise as he sheathed his sword. "We have studied you for years. I shall respect your wishes. You have a code. You do not kill. Neither shall I. The Order has foreseen it. Gotham will need a new protector."

Batman narrowed his eyes. This Azrael was different than his predecessor… his intentions seemed sincere but he had no idea he was being used and Batman did not see a microchip in Azrael's brain with the scanner in his helmet.

"If your intentions are sincere, I'll consider it." Batman said as Azrael nodded.

"You cannot tarry too long, Batman. Time is of the essence." Azrael said.

"The Order is using you. Open your eyes, before it's too late." Batman said as Azrael stopped, considering before gliding off the rooftop.

* * *

_**Later, Batcave** _

"He wants to become your successor?" Barbara repeated after Bruce had filled everyone in.

"That sounds a little fishy." Oliver pointed out.

"He was a little different than the previous Azrael." Bruce pointed out. "I'm not sure he's our enemy. I think he's a puppet. The Order is the one we should watch out for."

"Maybe we could pursue other angles." Henry suggested.

"Yeah but not you." Bruce said, much to Henry's surprise.

"What?" Henry asked, confused.

"Barbara told me what happened earlier and I saw the footage in the manor. I think you should back off." Bruce said.

"Wait, what happened?" Laurel asked.

"Nothing. It's… nothing, really." Henry denied.

"No." Barbara shook her head. "Look, I think you need to back off and get some rest from all of it."

"Maybe." Henry said, remembering.

* * *

_**2008, Gotham Cemetery** _

_Rain was pouring down as Henry was kneeling in front of his daughter's grave as Barbara and Nicole approached him, holding an umbrella as they held his hand._

_"Who's leaving the flowers here?" Henry asked as he was staring at the gravestone._

_"I wish I knew." Nicole sighed. "But at least you know she has a lot of friends."_

_"Had." Henry corrected after a pause as his sister turned to him._

_"This is about letting go, Henry." She said with pleading eyes. "I know it's been hell but… you need to accept that some things you can't fix."_

_"I'm not trying to fix anything." Henry snapped._

_"I know that look in your eyes." Nicole pleaded. "You want to find the people, who did this. But if you do that, you'll put us all in danger again." She warned._

_"I won't." Henry said. "Because I'd rather be dead than let anything happen to you. Any of you. You two and Riley are the most important things in my life. And I'll do anything to protect you."_

_"Hank, stop and listen to yourself." Barbara insisted. "You have to let it go."_

_"I can't!" Henry snapped. "I… I need to understand why. Why her and not me."_

_Barbara and Nicole then noticed the look in his eyes. It was the look of a man with a death wish…_

_"You're my brother and I love you." Nicole said gently. "But Riley is everything to me and I'd rather keep you away from my son in a heartbeat than allow him to get hurt because of you."_

_"Then I'd rather leave you to keep you safe rather than stay with you and allow you guys to be next." Henry snapped as he got up and walked away as Nicole looked at him sadly before a few gravestones away, Barbara ran to him and held him by his shoulder, causing for him to stop._

_"Hank, wait. You can't blame yourself. Nicky doesn't blame you, either. But, please, just let it go. She and your nephew need you. Your family needs you." Barbara said._

_"No." Henry shook his head as he brushed her hand off. "Not… not like this. I… I can't. I need to understand why it had to happen. And that's why I have to leave, Babs."_

_"Henry…" Barbara stopped, not sure what else to say._

_"I'm not the guy you should be around. And that's why I need you to leave me alone." Henry said._

_"I won't." Barbara snapped. "No matter how hard you might try to push me away, I won't leave you."_

_"Why won't you give up on me? It's only going to get worse for you." Henry sighed._

_"Because you and Nicky are not just my friends. You're my family. And you don't turn your back on your family. Even if they turn their backs on you." Barbara said._

_"And that's why I need you to stay here and look after them." Henry ordered._

_"You can't change what happened." Barbara reasoned._

_"But I can make sure they won't hurt you ever again." Henry said as he walked away._

_"Henry. Henry!"_

* * *

_**Present, Wayne Manor** _

Henry sat at the TV as Barbara sat next to him.

"Why is this happening to me, Babs?" Henry asked. "I'm trying to be better but it's all still coming back to me. Why?"

"You're not still blaming yourself, are you?" Barbara asked.

"No. But I'm just trying to understand what's happening to me." Henry said as Barbara smiled.

"Remember what happened, when you came back from Hong Kong?" Barbara said and Henry remembered.

* * *

_**2010, Gotham City** _

_Henry knocked on the door as he sighed. Part of him was hoping they would welcome him back with open arms. Another part of him was afraid they would judge him, condemn him and hate him. And another part was afraid they were dead already._

_When the door opened, his sister looked the same she did years ago as she stared at him before tears filled her eyes. "You're back. I… I can't believe you're back." She hugged him tightly, crying into his shoulder. "Don't leave me again, please… I can't lose you too… don't leave me again…"_

_"I'm home, Nicky. I'm not going anywhere this time." Henry promised._

_"I thought you were going to die there." Nicole said, her voice shaking._

_"It's OK. I'm back." Henry said as Nicole wiped her tears and took a breath._

_"Please, don't ever do this again. It would crush me if I lost you too." Nicole said._

_"I know." Henry nodded as he sighed. "And I'm sorry. For not listening to you. I was… I was so self-absorbed I didn't look back at…"_

_Nicole breathed out, raising her hand. "I know, Hank, it's just… some things have happened, when you were gone."_

_"What?" Henry asked, not understanding._

* * *

_Barbara was in park on a wheelchair, observing as she felt a hand on her shoulder before she turned around and smiled. "Henry."_

_"Hey, Babs." Henry smiled but felt hurt from seeing her like this. Immobilized from waist down and so vulnerable. He knelt down as they hugged each other, smiling. "I'm back."_

_"Yeah." Barbara smiled. "I always knew you'd find your way back home." They let go as he looked at her sadly and Barbara realized what was going on in his mind. "Oh." She glanced towards her legs._

_"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you. You were there for me, when I lost Mary and Ashley and you needed help, when you were suffering and I-"_

_"It's OK. Really." Barbara held his hand. "You're here now. That's what matters. So, don't kick yourself over not being here when it happened. It's not like you could have done something to stop it."_

_Henry nodded and smiled as they were going down the park. "Can't believe how many things can change over a year or two."_

_"You have no idea." Barbara nodded as she sighed. "Look. I don't mean to be nosy but… there are things that I've heard about what had happened in Hong Kong. I know some people who know other people."_

_Henry sighed, considering if he should tell her. But what good would come out of it?_

_"Babs. There are things that happened that… I don't want to talk about. And maybe it's even worse than what happened to me after I left you." Henry said. "Trust me, you don't want to know."_

_Barbara nodded but she knew far too well what happened, although she could not let him know that. "Look, whatever happened, leave it as it was. What matters is that you're here now."_

_"I just wish I had a chance to stop that pasty-faced bastard." Henry growled. "Maybe you could still walk."_

_"Or maybe he would have killed you. You have no idea what the Joker did to us. To me and Dad." Barbara said, although Henry had a pretty good idea. "This wasn't your fault."_

_"I know it wasn't. I'm not blaming myself for what happened to you." Henry said as he looked at her on a wheelchair in pity and guilt. "It's just that you were there for me, when I was at my lowest and I wasn't there for you, when you needed help. That's what's eating me up."_

_"Then let's make up for the lost time now." Barbara said as they stopped at small hill as Henry sat down and she held his shoulder. "No matter what, I'm never going to give up on you. You and Nicky mean a lot to me. That's never going to change."_

_"Sometimes I wish I had your heart, Babs." Henry chuckled as they looked at the sun going down. "Gosh, remember when we were trying to solve conceptual complexity in our freshman year? You were the first one to solve it, in less than ten minutes and you had to help me get out from that stupid loop."_

_"Yeah, you were such a dummy back then." Barbara giggled._

_"Yeah. We all were. Or when Grace and Marcus tried to convince us to cover the clubhouse with toilet paper and I tried to bust them." Henry said._

_"You were lucky I managed to bail you out before the campus security would catch you, otherwise they'd suspend you too." Barbara nodded._

_"Gosh, these were good old times. We've both come quite a way, have we?" Henry wondered. "Sometimes it feels like we've become completely different people from the college kids trying to hang on and pass their classes. Well, me not so much." He sighed as he turned to her. "I know that it's probably a stupid question to ask but I need an honest answer, Babs." She turned to him, curious. "How are you doing? Really?"_

_Barbara sighed. "Honestly… it was awful. Really awful at first. But I'm keeping it together these days. You being here makes me feel a lot better. Nicky, Dad and Dick and other people have been trying to help me a lot." Henry nodded as she turned to him, with pleading eyes. "Can you promise me something, Henry? And I mean it."_

_"Sure." Henry nodded._

_"Stop being a hero, OK?" Barbara asked and Henry was a little taken aback, although it did not surprise him. "I know that you feel like you need to help us and fix everything but let it go, OK? You don't have to stand up for us to protect us or feel responsible for us. Being here for us is enough. Just let what you do, go. For good. Please."_

_Henry paused, realizing she was repeating the same words she and his sister had told him at his daughter's funeral as he considered. "I… I honestly don't know if I can, Babs. Trust me, I'm trying to turn over a new leaf but… there are things that I can't walk away from… I-"_

_"Henry. Let it go. Please." Barbara pleaded as Henry sighed, considering for a moment._

_"OK. For you." Henry nodded as he held her shoulder. "No matter what happens, I'm gonna be here for you from now on. You and Nicky and Riley are the most important things in my life. And I don't ever want to lose that."_

_Barbara smiled as she and Henry hugged each other._

* * *

_**Present** _

"I wish I knew why was this happening to you. But together we can figure this out." Barbara promised. "But I think that for your own good, you should back off."

"Always gotta be trying to pull me back from the edge, do you?" Henry smiled as he turned to her.

"We made a promise to each other. You're not just my friend, you're my family. As much as Dick, Jason and Tim." Barbara reminded as they watched TV.

* * *

"Thank you for looking out for him." Sara nodded as Barbara accompanied her, Oliver and Laurel to the door.

"Don't thank me, I'm always going to keep an eye on him." Barbara said. "Just be careful, OK?"

"We will." Oliver promised as Barbara closed the door.

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

Azrael kicked one cop in the chest and slammed him to the ground before grabbing one by his arm and throwing him down. "Where is Sister Elizabeth?" Azrael demanded.

"Second door upstairs on the left." The cop said.

"Thank you. Sorry about this, Peter." Azrael said as he punched the cop, causing for him to fall down.

More cops entered as Peter held his nose. "E wend ubsdairs! Ged de bazderd!"

* * *

"Sisters, don't be scared. I have come to help you." Azrael opened the door as two nuns were stepping back in fear.

"They… they threatened to force themselves on us if we didn't…"

"They shall be no more your concern." Azrael promised.

More policemen burst in, aiming their guns. "Freeze, asshole!"

Azrael threw a shuriken that exploded in shining light, knocking the cops down, revealing it to be a flashbang and as their vision cleared, Azrael and the nuns managed to escape.

* * *

"Thank you." One of the nuns said. "Who are you?"

"Merely a servant to the Lord, Sister. May He watch over you." Azrael did a gesture of a cross as the nuns did the same.

"May He watch over you too, our Son." The nuns said.

* * *

_**Later** _

"We know where Batman's lair is. I shall retrieve the Suit of Sorrows, when the time is right, Liam." Michael said as he entered a library. "How do I get in?"

"I don't know. I'm an information broker but I'm not as good as Graves and don't give me more of the history crap about Templars or whatever." Liam said before Michael's phone rang as he answered the call.

"Yes?"

" _Brother Michael Lane. You are to be tested. A choice must be made between truth and faith. Two people. Two towers. Their faith is in your hands. One life. One death. You have one hour to choose._ "

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

Azrael observed two people, a man and a woman hanging on cranes with ropes, as the lines were being lighted by candles.

"Two people. Female at east tower. Blonde. Around 30 years old. 5' 2''. 120 pounds. A male at late teens at west tower. Late teens. Dark hair. 5' 10''. 160 pounds. Middle Eastern."

" _Another test?_ " Liam asked.

"Check the missing reports. Call me if you learn anything about." Azrael said.

Suddenly, he used his gauntlets to block two shurikens flying towards him as a ninja in black appeared, dressed up like Talia's students.

"What is it? A test of character or test of ability?" Azrael asked.

"What is one without the other?" The ninja said, lunging at Azrael as they fell off the roof.

"Who are you?" Azrael demanded.

"Call me "White Ghost". I am the arbiter of the Heiress to the Demon." White Ghost said as Azrael realized what this was about. He pulled out some wrist blades and Azrael pulled out his sword, blocking White Ghost's attacks before tackling him as they fell off the roof onto the roof of a bus.

"What do you arbitrate? Life and death? Right and wrong?" Azrael challenged.

"Worth." White Ghost said.

"What? Why?" Azrael asked, confused.

"Are you worthy of following the Heiress to the Demon?" White Ghost asked. "This determination answers matters of life and death, right and wrong. Those worthy of serving live to serve. The woman's name is Marlene Bidwell, a minister's wife running a homeless shelter. The boy is Husin al-Ariwa. An illegal immigrant, who fled Syria, accused of murder. Such a simple choice." White Ghost said before he did a throwing motion to the ground and an explosion followed and as the smoke dissipated, White Ghost had managed to vanish.

Azrael went on the rooftop, deciding to choose.

"Help! Please, help!"

"Don't let me fall, please!"

" _Michael, the names he said. That woman… she was caught cheating by her husband, who happens to be a minister. The other guy, Syrian government accused him of blowing up a car and killing two people. The evidence was shoddy, so it might have been a setup. Not an easy choice, is it?_ " Liam said as Michael considered.

"Time is running out." White Ghost said.

"I know. So you better make your choice right now." Azrael said, much to White Ghost's surprise.

"What?" White Ghost demanded, shocked.

"When I asked you, 'Why?', I did not mean, 'Why are you doing this?' I meant, 'Why should I?'. This is not test of my character but of yours. If you let someone you know is innocent, to die, why would someone like you be worthy of serving any higher or noble cause?"

White Ghost growled, deciding to let both people fall as he cut the line.

"No, no, no, no, no…"

"Please, don't, don't…"

Both people screamed as Azrael glided down and used a grapnel, swinging around and grabbing them both before landing onto opposite rooftop.

"You have failed." White Ghost said as he descended.

"No. You've failed my test." Azrael said.

"The Order shall punish you for your disobedience." White Ghost said before walking away as Michael considered whether Batman was right about the Order using him.

* * *

_**Later, elsewhere** _

"He disobeyed us?" One of the members of the Order demanded as they were at their seats as White Ghost filled them in.

"Troubling. We should tighten our grip."

"We cannot let any misguided idealists corrupt our champion."

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

Batman and Green Arrow were on rooftop, deciding to investigate more clues about the order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	4. Epiphany

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman and Green Arrow continue investigating Azrael as Henry faces his inner demons, while Michael comes a little to his senses, much to the Order's dismay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or Batman comics or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

* * *

In a library in Gotham, an elderly man was closing the door before he turned around, unfazed.

"Batman. And Oliver Queen." The elderly librarian said as Batman and Green Arrow entered.

"We've heard that you have some information about the Order of Saint Dumas." Batman said.

"Oh. They're just a legend-"

Batman grabbed the librarian's arm. "Don't lie to us."

"Easy." The librarian said, groaning in pain. "Easy."

"Azrael. Tell us what you know. Do you work for the Order?" Green Arrow demanded as he pulled from the librarian's jacket the cross of Saint Dumas.

"No. I… yes but I have nothing to do with… I'm just chronicler, that's all." The librarian said, frightened. "The Order has good intentions-"

"We'll be the judges of that." Batman said.

"Tell us everything and we'll leave you alone." Green Arrow assured him.

"OK, easy." The librarian raised his hands in surrender. "Although, you might want to take a seat since this isn't a bedtime story."

"No need to rush." Batman said as the librarian spoke up.

"Centuries ago, the Order of Saint Dumas were part of the Knights Templar. A group of select knights that fought in the crusades and eventually broke from the church." The librarian narrated. "They established their own secret cabal nestled in Switzerland and created an angel of vengeance to protect the Lord's word."

"Azrael." Green Arrow realized as the librarian nodded.

"The Order was splintered into two groups. Order of Saint Dumas and Order of Purity. Dumas was… radical in spreading his faith and the Order of Purity tried more peaceful approach but they still needed protection. An armor." The librarian explained.

"The Suit of Sorrows." Batman realized, since it was currently in his possession in Batcave.

"Burdened with the Sword of Sin and blessed by the Sword of Salvation, Azrael quietly defended the Order of Purity… for a great personal price. The Suit was later lost, in possession of many men. Ra's al Ghul, Malcolm Merlyn, Milo Armitrage and others… and Azrael has been seeking the suit since then." The librarian explained. "Champion of the Order, armed with it, becomes stronger than any ordinary man."

"He'll never find that suit." Batman assured him.

"Are you certain? Azrael hears the calling of it. He will find it, even if it was at the edge of the world." The librarian pointed out and Batman and Green Arrow became worried.

* * *

_**Batcave** _

"Do you think they'll stop the Order this time?" Henry asked.

"If anyone can, it's Ollie and Bruce." Laurel said and Henry shivered. "You OK?"

"No. Just… at this pace at which the hallucinations keep coming back, I might have to go back to Arkham. And I don't want to." Henry said. "Don't get me started on what happened to me there. Back then, I met three inmates, thick as thieves. Marc, Beth and Wendy. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience."

"What?" Sara asked.

"They were secretly doing shock therapies on inmates and brainwashing them into being their puppets and doormats. Some of them ended up brain-dead, some of them ended up in messed up romantic relationship and some of them almost committed suicide. I suspected them and was onto them in Arkham. Wasn't pretty." Henry explained.

"What happened to them?" Mia asked.

* * *

_**2009, Arkham Asylum** _

_"Beth, where are we going?" Henry asked as he followed her._

_"I need to show you something." The woman with long dark hair named Beth said as she led him into a locker room before Henry was knocked out._

* * *

_When Henry woke up, he was restrained to a chair as in front of him was a bald fat inmate with a beard, an elderly blonde woman with curly hair and Beth._

_"Well, well, well, looks like you brought us another lab rat." Marc smirked._

_"Oh. What are we going to brainwash him to do?" Wendy laughed as Henry stared at Beth in disbelief._

_"Beth? Why? I thought we were friends." Henry said._

_"Sorry. Nothing personal. But Marc and Wendy hate your guts and I didn't want to let them down." Beth said, with little remorse on her face._

_"Your first mistake was trying to mess with us. Your second mistake was following us. And your third and final mistake was trying to play hero. Oh, when we get out, we should play with his sister and nephew." Marc smirked._

_Henry growled, trying to free himself from the restraints as Wendy held his head._

_"Don't worry. When we're done, you won't even remember." Wendy said softly as Henry glared._

_Beth was charging the electrodes as Marc was putting them on Henry's temples before Henry managed to free his arm and jam the electrode into Wendy's face and she was sent flying back and hit the wall, knocked out. Henry punched Marc, knocking him down before freeing himself from the chair. Beth tried to run but Henry wrapped the cables around her neck as she choked until she was knocked out._

_Marc crawled on the floor in fear as Henry approached him, glaring._

_"Wait, wait. Please, it wasn't personal, it was just an experiment. I like to play with people…"_

_"You mean you like to ruin them and brainwash them into becoming something completely different, huh?" Henry growled, kicking Marc as he groaned. "Your first mistake was trying to mess with me." Henry picked Marc up and slammed his face to the wall. "Your second mistake was trying to kill me or worse. And your third and final mistake was threatening my family!"_

_Henry kicked Marc in the stomach twice as Marc coughed out, gasping for air before Henry slammed him against the wall again and punched him repeatedly in the face until it was bruised and bloodied before Henry threw him down and finished him off by stomping on his chest._

* * *

_**Present, Batcave** _

"These three were total creeps." Henry said. "I never liked Marc or Wendy. Beth, I thought she was nice and I was willing to give her a benefit of the doubt. Until she stabbed me in the back and showed herself to be no better than those two."

"Jesus…" Laurel whispered.

"Yup." Henry said. "If I don't count the bigger freaks like Wesker, Clayface, Riddler, Dent, Harley or Crane, those three, among the normal, were the worst inmates. Sometimes I wish I had killed them."

"What happened to them?" Sara asked.

"Permanent lockup in Intensive Treatment. No bailout." Henry listed. "Good riddance."

"Yeah." Mia nodded. "If they're that terrible, people like them should never be let out in the open, otherwise they can ruin other people's lives."

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

"This district used to be the domain of the Order hundreds of years ago." Batman said as he, Catwoman, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Red Robin and the Huntress were at the edge of the district.

"And according to some homeless guys I asked, they saw some people in hoods, like monks recently, abducting people." Catwoman said.

"Ritualistic killings? Like the ones Montoya told Henry about?" Nightwing asked.

"It's possible." Batman said.

* * *

Catwoman led Batman and Green Arrow to another corpse in an alley. A young dead woman.

"Another one." Batman said.

"Like the ones from Montoya's file." Green Arrow said, examining the wounds.

"Maybe not." Batman turned the corpse to see scars on her back. "These were self-inflicted." Batman then examined the palms.

"Looks like he cut himself." Green Arrow said.

"Oliver, I don't know if you've read about the Order but from what we've looked up, the leaders cut themselves and then mark the followers with the blood, like some kind of a blessing." Catwoman said as Batman examined the blood with the scanner in his helmet.

"Silver St. Cloud. An upper-class girl." Batman said. "She was Tabitha's niece."

"Poor girl. They didn't deserve this." Catwoman said.

"They can't go after Thomas Elliot. He's in prison." Batman said. "Bruce Wayne, I'd like to see them try. Kate and Jacob Kanes… they might be on Dumas's list."

"And Azrael's." Green Arrow realized.

* * *

Azrael was shot in the chest as he fell down.

"…he will whet… his sword… he… hath… bent… his… bow… and… made it ready…" Azrael whispered.

"Psalm 7:11, 12… We take what we can from our hypocrisy, Michael." The woman said, holding in her hand her gun, that was smoking from being freshly used.

"Miss Tate, shouldn't we dispose of…"

"No. He has potential." Talia, using her alias "Miranda Tate", said. "The memories of Azrael's tragedies and depths of his need for redemption are overwhelming him. When we retrieve from Batman the Suit, he will be invincible and able to process what the implant does to him. Make him ready."

* * *

_**Later, GCPD** _

"Michael. Are you alright?" Montoya asked as Michael was visibly tired.

"Just… questioning some things, that's all." Michael said.

"Don't blame you." Montoya said as she walked off before Michael's phone rang as he picked it up.

" _Brother Lane. It's time for your next test._ "

* * *

_**Later, Batcave** _

Henry, Barbara, Mia, Sara and Laurel were doing some research on the computers before the lights went off and then on.

"What the hell?" Sara asked.

"It could be a power outage." Barbara said as she tried to turn the computer back on. "Damn it."

"I'll check the fuses and backup generator." Henry said as he went towards an elevator and went down. Henry approached the small tunnel in which were the fuses and turned it on until there was a small explosion and the entrance caved in.

"Henry!" Laurel called out.

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

Talia and some monks surrounded Azrael as in front of him was on his knees a man, bound.

"This man stands in the way of the Order's rule over Gotham. We are justice. Batman is a misguided fool that needs to be replaced." Talia said as Azrael swung his sword but stopped the blade at the man's neck.

"Why are you hesitating?" Talia asked.

"Who is this man?" Azrael questioned.

"You've never questioned the Order's methods. Why start now?" Talia asked before scoffing.

Azrael was then knocked out from behind as he fell down.

"Looks like he needs more time for indoctrination than we had thought." The elder monk said.

"Get to it tomorrow, Father Creel." Talia said. "We've wasted enough time with Mr. Lane today."

* * *

_**Batcave** _

"Hey! Help! Anyone! Anyone out there?! Hey! Laurel! Sara! Babs!" Henry banged on the debris with his flashlight before pulling out his phone.

" _NO CELL SERVICE AVAILABLE_ "

"Damn you, Bruce. You and your stupid jammers." Henry grumbled as he looked around the cavern with his flashlight. There was faint light from the minerals, a small light in the ceiling but it was too high to reach. And nothing he could use to climb on or crawl through as Henry sighed.

"Looks like you're in a tough spot again, aren't you?"

Henry turned around and groaned, annoyed. "Great. This again? I thought I had moved past this already."

"What? Did you think I came here to guilt-trip you?" "Barbara" on a wheelchair teased.

"Why wouldn't you? Last time I hallucinated you and ghosts of my past, you basically tried to tell me that I can't escape my sins. Well, guess what, news flash, I've moved on, I'm not that guy anymore." Henry said. "I don't blame myself anymore, so this guilt trip is not gonna work this time. I've owned up to my mistakes and I'm trying to turn over a new leaf."

"What makes you think I'm here to make you feel guilty again?" Barbara asked. "Maybe I'm here to help you."

"Help with what? Get me out of here? I doubt a ghost, if that's what I can call you, can help." Henry laughed humorlessly.

"Yeah. How can I help you from possibly being buried alive in a cave?" Barbara teased.

"I don't plan on dying here." Henry said, looking for a way out as he looked around and followed the tunnels for a way out. "This place is a maze. Where the hell am I now?" Henry was scouring the tunnels, wounding up at another dead end and seeing another hole in front of him, with Barbara on a wheelchair following him.

"You're kind of in a rush, aren't you?" Barbara pointed out.

"The Order is planning to kill a lot of people, my friends included. I need to stop them." Henry said.

"Always gotta be the hero, do you, Hank?" Barbara laughed.

"It's not that. They need me." Henry turned to her. "They need all the help they can get."

"Do you think they'll die without you? Come on. Batman. Nightwing. Green Arrow. Batgirl. Black Canary. Speedy. Red Robin. Red Arrow. The Huntress. All of them big shots." Barbara said.

"That doesn't mean they can do this on their own. I need to help them, Babs." Henry argued.

"You see, there's the issue." Barbara pointed out, causing for him to stop. "You think that whenever someone you love, is in danger, you need to do whatever it takes, to make sure they don't get the bullet, even if it means you are going to take the bullet for them."

"Why shouldn't I feel that way?" Henry turned to her. "I admit, sometimes I go too far and let my feelings get the better of me but if I hadn't stepped up for my sister, who knows what kind of trouble she could have been in. I know that most of my problems with the law I had brought on myself but at least I made sure good people did not get hurt and I tried so damn hard to help you and Bruce and my friends and protect my family. If not me, then who? Everytime I sit back and do nothing, or turn away from you, something bad happens to you. And if I had been there-"

"You're not our shield, don't you get that? You don't have to feel responsible for us or protect us no matter what, we look out for each other, whatever happens." Barbara said. "Stop being a hero and let it go."

"Here we go again." Henry muttered. "You of all people should know what's it like… to be able to fight, investigate, be smart and strong to prevent bad things from happening but no matter what I do, somehow, the people that I love, get hurt the most, despite that I try my best to stop that! You of all people know what that's like! I can't just sit on my ass and do nothing, when good people, mainly you, are in pain!"

Barbara stared and considered.

"Why shouldn't I feel the way I do? Why should I stop?" Henry asked. "If I do… you. Nicky. Ollie. Sara. Laurel. Everyone I love… even if you had survived… maybe if I had been there, I could have spare you a lot of pain than how much you might have gone through without me. I've turned my backs on you once because I was so consumed with guilt, anger and grief and what happened…" He pointed at her legs and wheelchair.

"Some things you can't stop, even if you were there. Let it go." Barbara said.

"Let go of _what_? Of what?!" Henry snapped, not understanding. "I don't blame myself for what happened to me or my family or my friends anymore! What do you want from me?!"

"You keep trying to help us, even if you can't and that's what I love about you. You're a good person with good heart. But for once, think about what's happening to you. I do, all the time. You're setting your sight so widely, you don't think about looking back about how it's destroying you." Barbara said.

Then he realized what was Barbara talking about.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Henry asked, not sure.

"Neither Nicky or I have ever given up on you. Even when you were ready to give up on yourself. What does that tell you?" Barbara pointed out and Henry stopped, considering before he heard something.

"This… I feel breeze." Henry said.

"Henry!" A faint female voice echoed.

"Laurel!" Henry rushed back to the debris that was disappearing as he saw the light.

"Henry!"

* * *

Barbara, Laurel, Mia and Sara pulled Henry out as they hugged him tightly.

"Never do that again." Sara said, freaked out.

"You OK?" Barbara asked.

"Yeah. Just… a little freaked out, that's all." Henry said.

"Dummy." Laurel punched him.

* * *

_**The following day** _

Michael woke up, groaning, back in his house before he saw the wound on his head.

He heard the doorbell ring as Michael opened the door to see Montoya.

"Michael." Montoya said. "You haven't answered my call all night. Where have you been?"

Michael groaned and tried to remember. He winced as he remembered Batman warning him that the Order was using him and Talia was dissatisfied by Michael's disobedience. "Investigating Azrael."

"Without me? You're my partner, you need to fill me in." Montoya said. "What happened to you?" She pointed to Michael's head.

"Uh, just stumbled and hit the counter. It's nothing." Michael said but Montoya was hesitant to believe him.

"OK…" Montoya said as Michael closed the door until she saw a glimpse of a necklace on Michael's neck with a templar cross that Montoya recognized and suddenly, it all fell together. Montoya rushed out, freaked out.

_It wasn't possible. But it made sense. How he knew when the police would arrive… the timing… and his recent strange behavior and wearing the cross of Saint Dumas… Michael… was Azrael?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you know which inmates was Henry referring to and I hope you liked how I wrote how did he deal with them. The shock therapy thing is a reference to an inmate Jack Buchinsky from Gotham TV series, who is loosely based on Batman villain called "Electrocutioner". * chuckles * Buchinsky did shock therapy experiments on Arkham inmates, one of them ending up brain-dead, another constantly quoting Shakespeare and another one brainwashed into obeying Buchinsky's commands. Detective Jim Gordon later caught Buchinsky and arrested him.
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	5. The will of the Order

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Montoya closes in on Michael as the Order decides to remove anyone who gets in their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or Batman comics or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

_**Wayne Manor** _

"Renee?" Henry answered his phone as it rang.

" _Henry. I need you to dig up everything you can on Detective Michael Washington Lane._ " Montoya asked.

"Wait, wasn't he your partner two years ago, when we were investigating the murders?" Henry said.

" _Yeah. Look, it's a long story and I don't have time to explain but please._ " Montoya pleaded, sounding upset.

"OK. I'll call you, once I get something." Henry said before he hung up.

"What?" Sara asked.

"Renee. She wants me to look into her partner." Henry went towards the Batcomputer in the Batcave.

"Master Fyff, is everything alright?" Alfred asked.

"Not really, Alfred." Henry sat down at the computer as he began to type. "Michael Washington Lane. Served in Marine Corps. Two tours in Iraq. Later returned to Gotham to work as a beat cop. Had a family. Wife. Chanté Coles and a son Henry Mitchell Lane. Kid died in a car accident at age of three." He shivered, feeling some sympathy for Michael. "Wife committed suicide sometime later and his older sisters Marion and Gwendolyn were killed in some kind of a religious ritual. He lost it and was committed to Arkham. Released six months later. Poor man."

"Wait a minute." Sara looked at a news article. "Zoom." Henry zoomed in on the photo and they both widened their eyes. "Is that…"

"Theo Galavan." Henry said. "He was a member of the Order until Azrael killed him for their passive approach in Gotham."

"Oh, my God…"

"No. I am the messenger of the God." Azrael said as he showed up and Henry, Laurel, Sara, Barbara and Mia turned around.

"You." Henry glared.

"How did you get past the security measures?" Barbara demanded.

"I am the messenger of the God. I am not so easily stopped." Azrael pulled out some small device that they realized was some kind of a jammer. "Hand over the Suit of Sorrows and I shall leave."

"Lane, don't do this." Laurel pleaded.

"Lane is dead. I am Azrael, knight to the Order of Saint Dumas." Azrael said.

"The Order is using you. They've taken away your free will. You're killing innocent people." Henry tried to reach him.

"Liar! You stand in the way of true justice! And I shall strike down any misguided idealists, who get in my way! You, Batman, everyone!" Azrael pulled out his sword and swung it, preparing to slice them. Laurel and Barbara dodged, while Mia kicked Azrael back.

Sara picked two batons from a weapond stand and attacked. Azrael blocked with his sword as Sara attempted to hit him and struck her in the face with his elbow. Sara stumbled back and crouched as Azrael aimed at her head and he managed to cut off some of her hair.

Laurel attacked with her batons but Azrael blocked with his arms until Laurel hit him in the stomach and Azrael grunted and she hit him in the head as Azrael fell down. Azrael rolled away before Laurel could finish him off.

Barbara attempted to kick Azrael but Azrael grabbed her leg. Barbara spun around and hit Azrael in the face. Azrael blocked her next kick and she tried to punch him but Azrael used his hands to block her attacks before Mia fired an arrow. Azrael caught it inches away from his face before it exploded in sparks and knocked him down, while Mia notched another arrow and Henry neared Azrael, aiming a gun.

"Five on one. You can't win." Laurel said.

"We shall see." Azrael threw a small ball that exploded in cloud of smoke as Laurel, Mia, Sara, Barbara and Henry coughed before they passed out.

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

"Bruce, don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Kate Kane assured Bruce over the phone. "It's OK. Love you, too. I'll be careful."

* * *

"She can take care of herself but I needed to give her the heads-up." Batman said.

"She seems like a good person." Green Arrow said.

"She is. She's just had it…" Batman stopped when he saw the device on his gauntlet bleep. "Damn it! An alert in the manor!"

* * *

_**Wayne Manor** _

"Alfred! Alfred!" Batman rushed in.

"Ashley's at Nicole's." Green Arrow said in relief. "Laurel! Henry! Sara! Barbara!"

"Alfred…" Batman saw Alfred unconscious on the ground.

"Master Bruce…" Alfred groaned as he came to. "Azrael… he… he attacked me…"

"Alfred, what happened?" Batman asked.

* * *

**_Later, Batcave_ **

Batman, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Catwoman and the Huntress watched the footage.

"Damn it. He took Laurel, Sara, Barbara and Henry and he has the Suit of Sorrows." Batman said.

"We need to hurry." Green Arrow ordered. "We need to find out where Saint Dumas has their secret lair."

* * *

_**Nicole Fyff's house** _

Nicole opened the door to Montoya. "Hey, Nicky. Has Henry come here?"

"No." Nicole shook her head. "Is he in trouble again?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I asked him to look into something but he hasn't been calling me back. And neither he or Sara were back in their house." Montoya said. "Look, normally, I don't care that much about what he's doing but frankly, I'm worried he might be in trouble. Big trouble. Do you know something?"

"All he told me was that he was helping you with an old case. What's going on?" Nicole asked.

"I… I don't know. But, Nicky, don't worry and trust me, I am going to find your brother and get him out of trouble." Montoya said, holding her shoulders.

"OK. OK. Please, just make sure he's going to be OK." Nicole pleaded.

* * *

**_Later, GCPD_ **

Montoya checked Michael's desk.

"Is everything OK, Montoya?" Gordon asked.

"Not really." Montoya said. "I'm not sure, Jim but I think Michael has been acting strange late…" She found in a drawer a badge with a templar cross that they immediately recognized.

"Order of Saint Dumas." Gordon said, realizing that the GCPD had been infiltrated.

"I think we know why Michael has been acting lately." Montoya said. "And I can't find Henry or Sara anywhere."

"Damn it." Gordon said before he pulled out his radio. "All units, pull out a BOLO on Detective Michael Lane, Henry Fyff and Sara Lance."

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

Henry, Sara, Mia, Barbara and Laurel groaned before they came to and woke up in some kind of a cell.

"Where the hell are we?" Henry asked.

A moment later, a man in a hood entered. "The false guardians and misguided idealists. No one like you shall stand in the way of true justice."

"What are you going to do to us? Where are we?" Laurel demanded.

"A place of God's will. God's justice shall be delivered upon you tonight. May He watch over your souls." The monk said.

"No God would ever demand innocent blood." Henry growled.

"You are no innocent, Mr. Fyff." The monk said.

"We are going to stop you." Laurel said.

"No. You are going to serve the God's justice. May He forgive you for your transgressions." The monk said before walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	6. Azrael's choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman and GCPD stops the Order of Saint Dumas as Azrael makes an unexpected choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or Batman comics or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Azrael neared the cell.

"You must know that what you're doing, is wrong. They're using you. Trying to take away your free will." Laurel said.

"They brainwashed you, Michael. We're on the same side." Henry pleaded. "Think about what you're doing. You don't have to do this."

"You must pay for interfering in God's mission." Azrael said.

"Deep down you know that this isn't right." Barbara said and Azrael hesitated before one of the monks approached him.

"Azrael. Leave us. You should not have approached them-"

Azrael turned to him with a glare as the monk backed off, frightened. "I am not your puppet and you are not my master."

The monk raised his hands in surrender. "Of course, champion. An indiscretion I won't repeat."

Azrael glared before walking away as the monk glared at them. "You should be honored. You shall be sacrificed, in order to fulfill the God's will."

"No God would ever demand innocent blood to be spilled in their name." Laurel growled.

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

"We need to find where the Order is hiding." Gordon said, as his men were preparing their weapons.

"I've been tracking Lane's movements." Batman said as he showed Gordon a map. "It's an abandoned abbey in Old Gotham. It's supposedly empty but thermal scans from Bat-plane show thermal signs from underground." He showed the image on the hologram on his gauntlet.

"It's most likely where the Order of Saint Dumas is hiding." Gordon realized. "OK, we get in there, find Henry, my daughter, Mia, Sara and Laurel. Lane, I want alive, anyone else, I don't care."

* * *

"Death to the false guardians. Death to the false guardians. Death to the false guardians." The monks chanted as Azrael had Henry restrained to a pole and pulling out a sword.

"Don't do this." Henry shook his head, trying to reach Azrael, who raised his hand as the monks were quiet.

Mia, Barbara, Sara and Laurel were freeing themselves from their restraints subtly as Azrael took a breath.

"Be ready."

"You're insane." Henry glared. "You won't get away with this."

Azrael was about to kill Henry as he raised his hand.

"Do it." Father Creel said but Azrael seemed to hesitate. "What are you waiting for? Do it!"

"We're not your enemies." Henry pleaded.

"They stand in the will of the God! Kill them!" Father Creel demanded before GCPD, Montoya, Gordon, Green Arrow, Batman, Nightwing, the Huntress, Catwoman, Arsenal, Speedy and Red Robin entered.

"Sacrilege!" Father Creel snarled.

The monks shouted, attacking them as GCPD opened fire. Mia, Barbara, Laurel and Sara freed themselves as they engaged the monks.

Mia grabbed a knife from one of them and cut him in the leg as he fell down. She stabbed another one in the shoulder as he fell down. Another monk attacked her, trying to punch her but Mia blocked his blows. The monk spun around, trying to kick her but Mia grabbed his leg and cut him in the knee as he fell down.

Barbara slammed one of the monks against a pillar and punched him in the face. Another monk engaged her but she kicked another one in the stomach and threw him over her shoulder.

Laurel grabbed another monk and punched him three times, in the chest and in the face, knocking him down. Laurel kicked another monk behind her and did a roundhouse kick, hitting him in the face as he fell down.

Sara picked two pieces of wood, using them as batons as she blocked the knives the monks were attacking her with. Sara hit them with her batons swiftly, them being no match for the Lance sisters combat skills as the monks fell down.

Batman threw three batarangs, taking the monks down. Batman dodged as one of the monks rushed at him and the monk fell down. Batman blocked the knives of two monks with his gauntlets before he punched one in the face and kicked him in the stomach as he fell down. Batman slammed another monk on his leg as he was dazed before Batman threw him over his shoulder.

Catwoman used her whip and disarmed another monk of his knife. A monk rushed at her but Catwoman grabbed him by his head and swung around him like if he was a pole as she kicked down four more monks before she knocked down the monk she had grabbed. She used her whip and wrapped it around another monk's neck and pulled him towards her before Catwoman slammed him to the ground.

Nightwing freed Henry from the pole as they engaged the monks. Nightwing rushed at them, beating them up with his batons.

Henry dodged as one of the monks attempted to stab him, grabbing him by his arm and throwing him down. Henry dodged again as another monk attacked him. Henry punched him in the face and kicked him in the stomach and threw him over his shoulder. Henry then saw one of the monks sneaking up on Mia from behind as Henry glared. Henry rushed at the monk and tackled him to the ground, punching him in the face until he was knocked out as Mia turned to him in surprise.

"Thanks." Mia smiled before she saw that a knife was sticking out of Henry's hip. "You're bleeding."

Henry groaned as he held his wound. "I'm OK."

Arsenal blocked with his bow as another monk tried to stab him and used his metal arm to throw him away before he fired an arrow that exploded in a net, ensnaring some monks.

Red Robin rolled down as two monks attacked with swords. Red Robin used his staff to block as they attempted to slice him. Red Robin hit one of them in the head and the other one in the stomach before hitting them both in the legs as they fell down. Red Robin blocked with his staff as another monk tried to stab him but Red Robin hit him in the chest and in the back as the monk fell down. Red Robin then jammed the staff to the floor and spun around as five monks rushed at him and Red Robin spun around, kicking the monks down.

The GCPD was apprehending the monks as Father Creel raised his hands in surrender as Azrael ascended above.

"He's getting away." Green Arrow said.

"He's mine!" Batman said.

* * *

Azrael was on the rooftop, glaring.

"It's over. You don't have to do this. Turn yourself in, Michael." Batman said. "You now see they have been using you."

"You expect me to go to prison? I choose death!" Azrael pulled out his sword but Batman threw a batarang and knocked Azrael's sword off his hand as it slid down the rooftop. Batman rushed at Azrael and tackled him to the lower rooftop.

Both men got up, trading blows. To Batman' s surprise, Azrael's skills almost matched his own as Azrael blocked Batman's attacks with ease until Azrael hit Batman in the chest and in the face and despite being protected by his armor, Batman could tell Azrael was stronger than he looked.

Batman grabbed Azrael's arm and hit him in the face as Azrael staggered back. Batman threw a punch but Azrael dodged before Batman landed two hits in the chest and in the face. Azrael grabbed Batman's arm and they switched positions. Azrael blocked Batman's blows before Batman rushed at him, trying to tackle him to the ground.

Azrael rolled back to get up and did a roundhouse kick. Batman dodged and blocked Azrael's next kick before they exchanged blows. Azrael grabbed Batman's arm and threw him away as Batman rolled down on the ground. Batman got up and Azrael dodged his kick before Azrael spun around and attempted to kick Batman. Batman blocked Azrael's kick as they traded punches again. Azrael grabbed Batman's arm and threw him away.

Batman got up as Azrael dodged his kick. Azrael kicked Batman in the chest as Batman fell against the edge of the roof. Azrael grabbed Batman by his throat and attempted to choke him as Batman glared.

"Enough!" Batman snarled before he punched Azrael in the face three times in quick succession. Azrael was dazed as Batman threw him over his shoulder and kicked him. Azrael groaned in pain as he got up. "It's over!" Batman shouted.

"You've destroyed everything!" Azrael snarled. "The Order would cleanse this city…"

"The Order was using you!" Batman argued. "They used you as a puppet. They would replace you, just like they replaced your predecessor by you. Think for yourself. You don't need them. You're nothing but their tool. They don't follow the God, deep down you know it's true."

"Michael." Montoya stepped up as she neared Azrael, who seemed to hesitate. "I know you. And you're a good man deep down. But you have to know that what the Order doing, isn't right. I know you. You're a good man with values and I know that you'll do what is right. Turn yourself in. We can help you."

Azrael considered before thinking about what Batman had told him. Azrael picked his sword as Batman picked his batarang as Montoya pulled out her gun.

Azrael then, to their surprise, broke the blade and dropped the sword.

"I thought I was the instrument of the Lord, not the tool of Man!" Azrael said, outraged as he realized that he had been manipulated.

Montoya nodded, offering her hand. "It's going to be alright. We can fix this. Come with us, Michael. Please."

For a moment, Azrael considered before he approached the edge of the rooftop and glided away.

"Michael!" Montoya stared in despair as her partner disappeared.

"I'll find him, Detective. I promise." Batman said as he held her shoulder, while Montoya seemed sad and disappointed with her eyes getting wet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the references to Gotham 2x10-11 and Arrow 6x23.
> 
> So, what do you guys think? The next chapter will be a concluding epilogue to this story.
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this and want for me to continue.


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone deals with the aftermath of the fight with the Order of Saint Dumas as Bruce investigates new clues and Henry decides to turn over a new leaf in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or Batman comics or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

**_GCPD_ **

Few days later, Montoya was clearing up Michael's desk, feeling sad for what has happened to her partner as she looked at the photo of them graduating from the academy as she sighed.

"I'm sorry. I know Michael seemed like a good man." Gordon assured her. "We've all been duped."

"I wish I could have helped him." Montoya said.

"Sometimes, some people you can't help." Henry said as he approached her. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly…" Montoya sighed. "These past few weeks… past two years… have challenged everything I've ever believed in. It all comes down to one thing… not everything is as it seems. Like with you. Or like with Michael."

"You couldn't have known who he really was. Blaming yourself and dwelling on what you could've done, doesn't help. Trust me. I know that better than most people." Henry said.

"I'm not blaming myself. I just wonder… is he too far gone? Can we help him?" Montoya asked.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Henry said. "Renee, look, if there's something I can do for you…"

"Yeah. Sure, Henry." Montoya nodded, although she still looked sad as she looked at the photo of her partner.

* * *

"Is she going to be OK?" Sara asked.

"I don't know." Henry admitted as they went out. "It sucks when someone you care about, someone close to you, turns out to be something different than you had believed them to be."

"Yeah." Sara said, remembering what happened, when she returned back to Oliver and her family from Nanda Parbat. "Did you tell your sister from the beginning that you were a private investigator, when you started?"

"No." Henry said. "She didn't take it well much at first, either. Mary, she figured it out but she never judged me. But, Nicky…"

* * *

_**Ten years ago, Gotham City** _

_Tired of Mercy's jobs and wanting to focus on his family, Henry wanted to decline._

_"Where are you, Fyff?" Mercy asked._

_"Forget it, Mercy. I'm done. I don't need your money. You've brought me nothing but trouble and if I'll have to go to prison for what I did, it's a price I'm willing to pay." Henry said. "We're done talking."_

_"I don't think so. You won't believe, where I am." Mercy sent Henry a photo and Henry glared._

_"Nicky's house. What the hell are you doing?" Henry demanded._

_"You should hurry, Henry. Your sister needs you." Mercy teased and Henry growled._

_"Mercy!"_

_Mercy hung up and Henry clenched his fists angrily._

* * *

_Henry entered Nicole's house as Mercy examined Henry's family photos._

_"Three-year old daughter and three-year old nephew. And a big sister. How sweet." Mercy teased._

_"What did you do to them?" Henry growled._

_"All of this… such a waste." Mercy waved her hands around. "You know, what's really sad, is that someone like you surrounds yourself by so many fragile things. It makes you fragile, you know?"_

_Henry roared and punched Mercy before slamming her to the counter. "Where?!" He shouted angrily, pinning her down._

_"Uh-uh. Let me go, or she dies. This is not going to work the way you want. You screw around and she's dead." Mercy said before Henry's phone rang and she smirked. "I think you should answer that."_

_Henry answered the call._

_"Henry! Help!" Nicole screamed._

_"Nicky!" Henry called out. "Where are you?" The call was disconnected and Henry grabbed Mercy by her throat._

_"Stop and think." Mercy choked out. "You screw around and she's dead." Henry wanted to snap Mercy's neck right where he was standing but Henry instead threw her away as Mercy staggered and massaged her throat and smiled in satisfaction. "Smart move. You know, it did not have to be this way but you've forced my hand. If you had listened to me, things would be different."_

_"Just tell me where they are." Henry said, his voice forcingly calm but full of despair._

_"They? It's just your sister. That little boy and your girlfriend and your daughter… I think they're out of town, if I recall." Mercy said. "I'll let your sister go, if you do as I say."_

_"What do you want?" Henry demanded, already knowing that whatever Mercy wanted him to do, that he was going to regret it._

* * *

_Later, Henry broke into Gotham Merchants Bank and plugged in a flash drive, thanks to which Mercy stole hundreds of millions of dollars._

_"I did what you asked." Henry said as he called Mercy._

_"Good. Now here's where she is." Mercy said before an alarm rang and Henry saw on his phone a GPS location._

_"What did you do?" Henry demanded._

_"Did you think I'd leave a loose end?" Mercy teased and Henry realized that he had been set up. Two guards approached Henry._

_"Freeze!"_

_"On the ground, now!"_

_Henry pulled out a gun and kneecapped them before he started to run. "Sorry."_

* * *

_"That fucking bitch set me up." Henry growled as he drove towards an abandoned warehouse, where Nicole was. Henry snuck in through a window and knocked one of the thugs out. He hid in the shadows as another thug was on a patrol before Henry grabbed him in chokehold._

_"Now you're going to tell me, where's the blonde girl."_

* * *

_The thug accompanied Henry to where Nicole was as he opened the door. Nicole stared in disbelief, seeing her brother hold someone in gunpoint before Henry knocked the thug out._

_"Henry?" Nicole asked, shocked at what he was doing. She knew that he was doing some questionable things as an investigator but she never expected him to do something so extreme. "What's going on? Some men took me and-"_

_"Nicky. It's going to be OK. I'm going to get you-"_

_"No. There are guards everywhere." Nicole shook her head._

_"Nicky. Trust me." Henry said, handing her a gun as Nicole shook her head._

_"Oh, God. This is crazy. Henry, you know I don't like guns." Nicole said, frightened before she screamed as another thug entered and she shot him on instinct. The man held his chest and fell down. "Oh, my God… I shot him-"_

_"I know. I know." Henry held Nicole. "Listen, we have to go."_

_"Shouldn't we see if he's OK? Oh, God, I killed-"_

_"Nicky, we stay here, we're both dead. Do you trust me?" Henry held Nicole by her shoulders. She was hesitant, not even recognizing her brother anymore as she stared at him. "Do you trust me?" Nicole, somewhat reluctantly, nodded as Henry relaxed. "Good. Listen, this was self-defense. This doesn't make you a bad person. Just come with me, do as I say and it's going to be OK. Understand?" She stared at the dead man that she just shot. "Nicky. Focus. Do you trust me?"_

_Nicole quickly nodded as she followed Henry. "He was still breathing. The guy I shot, he was still breathing. Maybe we should call 911…"_

_"We don't have time, we need to go." Henry said before two thugs appeared from around the corner. "Get down!" Henry forced Nicole on her knees as he shot down the thugs, while Nicole stared in shock at seeing her brother kill people. Henry held her hand as shock flooded through her as her hands trembled._

_"Jesus… I haven't used a gun since hunting with Dad, that was just stupid rabbits…" Nicole said, horrified._

_"Nicky. I know but we need to leave here now." Henry said as they kept on running._

_"Jesus, did you see his face? He couldn't believe I shot him, he brought me blankets last night. Maybe we should go back-"_

_"Nicky, we gotta get out of here." Henry reminded as Nicole was in shock._

_"OK. OK. Yeah." Nicole nodded, breathing out. "I don't understand how you can do this? This isn't a way to live. Is this what you do? You kill people? I can't believe it. It's not you. Is it?"_

_"No." Henry assured her._

_"I mean, sure, you go too far sometimes and beat the crap out of people, who threaten me but… this…" Nicole whispered, not even recognizing Henry anymore before they entered a car as more thugs approached them._

_"We gotta get out of here, hang on!" Henry hit the gas and drove away._

_"Henry, I heard some rumors that you stole money from Gotham Merchants Bank. Is it true?" Nicole demanded. "Please, tell me that they set you up." Henry was silent. "Tell me!"_

_They saw a patrol car as Henry ducked and forced Nicole to do so as well to be sure the patrol would not see their faces. "Get down."_

_"Why won't we call Jim? He can help us." Nicole said._

_"No. Jim's gonna come after me."_

_"But if we explain everything about Mercy, I'll tell them what happened…"_

_"No." Henry protested. "Nicky, if they catch you, don't say anything. I want you to leave town and stay invisible until I sort this out."_

_"No, I want you to tell me exactly what the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, right now or I'm going to scream for help!" Nicole exploded, glaring._

_Henry stopped in an alley and sighed, contemplating for a moment before taking a breath. "Nicky… it's complicated."_

_"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything." Nicole pleaded, seeing how reluctant Henry was. "Look. You're my brother and I love you. That's never going to change but I need to understand. What did Mercy put you up to? Have you been in trouble like how Dad was with the mob, when he became a cop investigating them and they almost killed him?"_

_"Nicky…" Henry sighed. "It's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that… you wouldn't understand."_

_"Then help me understand. Please." Nicole said as Henry told her everything that happened since he met Mercy as Nicole stared in disbelief and shock._

_"Look. Don't worry about Mercy coming after you. It's over." Henry promised._

_"Is it? For me and Riley, maybe. But is it over for you?" Nicole asked as Henry sighed. "It didn't have to be this way, you know."_

_"I know. And I know that this is my fault. And I'm sorry." Henry turned to her, remorseful. "For what it's worth, I never meant for you, Riley or anyone else to get hurt."_

_"I know you didn't." Nicole said. "You're my brother and I love you. That's never going to change. When we were kids, I was the one looking out for you, since you were fat and they bullied you. Now… it's the other way around but it's so messed up." She wiped her face, frustrated. "Why does it have to be you? Why can't you stop?"_

_"Because Mercy's using you as a leverage. I stop, she'll do something to you and I'll never forgive myself for that." Henry snapped._

_Nicole sighed. "Always have to be the hero, do you? Why can't you just let it go? It doesn't have to be you."_

_"If not me, then who? Batman?" Henry scoffed as Nicole sighed before he went out. "Nicky. Go to Riley and lay low. I'll handle it."_

_"What are you going to do?" Nicole asked._

_"What I'll have to." Henry said before she went out._

_"Is there no other way?" Nicole asked._

_"I don't see another option." Henry said as the two siblings hugged each other. "You and Riley and Babs are the most important things in my life. Remember that."_

_"If you make it, promise me you'll let go. Please." Nicole said._

_"I… I'll try." Henry said._

* * *

_**Later, GCPD** _

_Henry was in his cell until Gordon unlocked it. "You're free to go."_

_"What?" Henry said, surprised._

_"Under duress. We're not pressing charges. Batman sent us evidence." Gordon said as Henry nodded._

_"Thanks, Jim." Henry got up and went out before Gordon held his shoulder._

_"I know you feel like it has to be you… but you should stop and look back at how it's destroying you and your family. Let it go." Gordon said as Henry considered._

_"I'm not sure I can. Some things you can't just walk away from." Henry said._

* * *

_**Present** _

"What are we doing here?" Sara asked.

"I may have let go of what happened to Mary and Ashley. But as long as there are reminders of what I did wrong, I'll never really move on." Henry said as they drove towards a storage unit that Henry opened. "One of my stashes, back in my investigator days. Guns, fake IDs, money… I never burned it because I thought I might need it. Now I'm realizing that it keeps holding me back."

"So what? You're going to burn it?" Sara asked.

"Burn it, tell Lyla about it, who knows. Anything, just to make sure I don't need it anymore." Henry said. "I may have let go but I keep letting my past define me. Maybe it's time I turned over a new leaf." He picked two canisters of gasoline. "A little help?"

Sara smiled, glad that her boyfriend was trying to move on to be happy as they were pouring the gasoline.

"I told Lyla that I need a leave of absence." Henry said. "Maybe it's time I stopped focusing on trying to be the hero and be there for you. And my family."

Sara kissed Henry before she pulled out a lighter and burned the stash down.

* * *

_**Later, Fyff's house** _

"Thanks." Mia smiled as Henry entered. "For saving me."

"You're my family too, Mia. And I'm always going to look out for you." Henry hugged her as Mia smiled.

"Remember when you scared off that drunk asshole stepdad that was beating up one of my classmates?" Mia said.

"Yeah."

* * *

_**Few years ago** _

_"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Henry asked as Mia told him everything after she snuck in her friend._

_"Because I didn't think you'd give a shit. And I didn't know you would be home." Mia explained. "Please, don't be mad."_

_"I'm not mad and second of all, don't talk like that." Henry said. "I promise, I'll handle it."_

* * *

_"You're going to pack your things up and leave Gotham. Forever." Henry said as he punched the man in his face. "I'm going to drop Olivia by tomorrow and if I see you in the house by then, I'm going to finish the job. Understood?"_

_"OK. OK." The man nodded. "I'll leave town and you'll never have to see me again."_

* * *

_Later, Henry was returning home as Nicole stood at the entrance. "Olivia's mother called me. Said that the stepdad left, sick of them and they said he was bruised."_

_"Nicky, I don't want to hear it." Henry snapped. "You're just making things worse, Hank. Just leave it alone, Hank. Stop being a hero, Hank."_

_"That's not what I was going to say." Nicole said, much to her brother's surprise. "You stood up for your own child. And you did what you had to do to protect them. I'm proud of you."_

_Nicole smiled and hugged Henry, kissing him on his cheek._

* * *

_**Present, Fyff's house** _

"I invited Renee over but she's probably processing what happened to her partner." Henry said.

"Is she going to be OK?" Thea asked.

"Honestly, I don't know." Henry admitted. "Seeing that people you think that know, you actually don't know at all…"

"It's gotta be hard." Oliver nodded.

"OK, enough of this. We're having a family dinner." Nicole said as she brought in a bowl of chicken wings and potatoes while Laurel brought a salad.

They loved Nicole's food but as they tasted Laurel's salad, most of them coughed.

"A bit sour, Laurel." Barbara blushed, her eyes filling with tears.

"Did I put there too much vinegar?" Laurel wondered.

"What did I tell you, Laurel?" Nicole mockingly smacked Laurel on her shoulder as Laurel blushed in embarrassment, while everyone else laughed.

* * *

**_Wayne Manor_ **

"Miranda Tate was behind this Order of Saint Dumas." Bruce said. "Talia is alive."

"And that can mean nothing good." Selina said. "When was the last time they saw her?"

"In Morocco." Bruce said as he pulled out a photo. "I think we're going on a hunt."

"What about Azrael?" Selina asked.

"I found him and spoke to him. I don't think we need to worry about him being a problem anymore." Bruce said.

* * *

_**Gotham City** _

Azrael was on a gargoyle, watching over Gotham City. Now that Batman has disappeared to find Talia al Ghul, who has wronged them both, it needed a new guardian. A new protector. And Azrael would bring God's justice upon the criminals and the Order of Saint Dumas, who has manipulated him as a promise to Batman.

Michael Lane was dead. He was... Azrael. The Angel of Death. Protector of Gotham.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you have enjoyed this story. I do plan another sequel with Bruce, Selina and Talia but Azrael, that one I am keeping open-ended and at the moment, I do not plan a story with him.
> 
> Stay tuned for another story in this saga, depending on ideas that come to my mind.
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed the story to its end.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


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